Flat Presentation Hanger for Ankle Socks and Similar

ABSTRACT

Flat presentation package for a textile article such as straight ankle socks or ankle socks with heels, the package ( 1 ) being composed of a main flap ( 2 ) from which an approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab ( 20 ) and an associated fixing tab ( 30 ) extend and can be folded in front of the package, characterised in that the approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab ( 20 ) comprises a groove ( 23 ) parallel to its base, so that the attachment tab ( 20 ) can be used as such for articles ( 40 ) with heels, or it can be previously folded and transformed into a straight attachment tab for straight articles ( 40′ ).

The invention relates to the field of packaging, and more particularly flat presentation packages for flat articles such as ankle socks, and particularly thin ankle socks.

These packagings are often made from cardboard but may also be made from plastic material, and are made in the form of a package that will be suspended from a display case. The article is arranged straddled over a folding attachment tab extending from a flap of the package, the tab and the article being fixed and partially concealed by a folded down fixing tab, after the package has been closed by appropriate closing means.

Document FR 2780 625 discloses a flat package composed of an approximately rectangular main flap from which a trapezoidal shaped attachment tab and an associated fixing tab extend from one large side of the flap, that can be folded in front of the package. The tabs are formed from a front part with a length equal to at least the width of the main flap, and a back part that folds over and is fixed behind the flap by a closing means. Folds are provided between the tabs and the flap and on the tabs themselves between their two parts. A closing flap is provided on a small side of the flap that can be folded on the front of the flap by a fold. The package is advantageously made from an almost transparent material and a printed cardboard is placed between the flap and its closing flap.

The purpose of the invention is to improve the flat package thus known and to make it more adaptable to the different types of marketed ankle socks.

The purpose of the invention is achieved by using a flat package composed of a main flap from which an approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab and an associated fixing tab extend and can be folded in front of the package, characterised in that the approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab comprises a folding line parallel to its base, so that the attachment tab can be used as such for ankle socks with heels, or it can be previously folded and transformed into a straight attachment tab for straight ankle socks.

Thus, the same flat package may be used indifferently to display two sorts of articles, whereas in the past two types of packages with trapezoidal tabs and straight tabs respectively were required. This double function means that the number of references can be halved, facilitates procurement and storage, and reduces the number of operating procedures to be created.

The folding line means a line prepared materially to enable easy manual folding at the time of use; it is advantageously composed at least partly by a continuous or dashed groove, or a partial cut line with only a few material bridges, or a combination of grooves and cuts (grooving-cutting).

As known in itself, the tabs are formed from a front part with a length equal to at least the width of the main flap and a back part that folds over and fixes at the back of the flap using a closing means. Advantageously, only the front part of the attachment tab is approximately trapezoidal, and the back part is approximately rectangular. Advantageously, the folding line (the horizontal groove) parallel to the base is continuous over approximately the entire length of the tab, in the front and back parts, which are separated by a vertical groove perpendicular to the first horizontal groove. According to one very advantageous characteristic of the invention, particularly when the package is made from cardboard, the amount of material can be reduced at the intersection of these two grooves, for example by a slot in the blank forming the package, and particularly a crescent-shaped slot. This slot facilitates double folding of the tab at this location and prevents the cardboard from being damaged.

The upper inclined edge of the front part of the attachment tab is advantageously notched.

Advantageously, the front part of the fixing tab is longer than the front part of the attachment tab.

Advantageously, a closing flap is provided on a small side of the flap, folded and glued to the front of the flap. Due to the double thickness that provides sufficient strength, it will be possible to use a single more economic suspension hole rather than a suspension hook.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear after reading an embodiment of the invention. Refer to the attached drawings on which:

FIG. 1 shows a plane view of the package according to the invention, ready for use.

FIGS. 2 to 4 refer to three diagrams showing three steps in the placement of ankle socks with heels in the package according to the invention, namely folding the attachment tab over the ankle sock, folding the ankle sock over the tab, and folding the fixing tab and closing the package.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two diagrams illustrating two steps in the placement of straight ankle socks in the package according to the invention, namely folding the attachment tab folded onto itself over the ankle sock, and folding the fixing tab and closing the package.

FIG. 7 shows a plane view of the blank of the package before the closing flap of the main flap is glued.

The package 1 or light cardboard according to the invention is made from a cardboard blank 10 comprising an approximately rectangular main flap 2 over which a smaller approximately rectangular closing flap 3 is folded down and glued, using a fold 4 that will then form the upper edge of the package. Holes 5 are formed in the flap 2 and the closing flap 3, on each side of the fold 4 to form the suspension hole of the package 1. These holes may be formed when the blank 10 is being stamped, or later, once the closing flap 3 has been glued on the flap 2. If the holes 5 are formed before gluing, the hole 5 in the closing flap 3 is advantageously very slightly smaller than the hole 5 in the flap 2, to give a better display of the front part of the light cardboard, even though there may be small differences in the extent to which the closing flap is superposed over the flap.

Two tabs, the attachment tab 20 and the fixing tab 30, are formed only on one of the long sides of the flap 2, extending approximately horizontally from the flap 2 and articulated to it by a groove 6 (shown in double lines). The two tabs 20 and 30 may advantageously be connected by a frangible material bridge that can easily be broken at the time of use, but that is strong enough so that the tabs will not separate during manipulations of the cardboard.

The attachment tab 20 is globally trapezoidal in shape, at least in its main part or front part 21 that will close over onto the flap 2. The inclined upper edge 28 of the front part of the attachment tab 20 is notched. This front part 21 is prolonged by a back part 22 intended to fold over behind the flap 2 to close the package, for example by means of an adhesive sticker or label (not shown). The two parts 21 and 22 are separated by a vertical groove 26. The base of the tab 20 is horizontal.

According to the invention, a groove 23 parallel to the base of the tab 20 divides the tab into two parts 24 and 25 that are rectangular and trapezoidal or triangular respectively. The horizontal groove 23 intersects the vertical groove 26 and continues beyond it, in the back part 22, through the grooved segment 23′ that may possibly be replaced by a complete cutout. The grooved part 23 itself may be associated with intermittent cutouts not shown. An opening 27 in the form of a crescent (for example) is formed at the intersection of the two grooves, to make it easier to fold the part 25 over the part 24 for a pair of straight ankle socks. It is also advantageous if the groove 23 starts at the bottom of an indentation 29 in the upper edge 28 of the attachment tab 20. This indentation 29 is located in an unnotched part of the edge 28 that facilitates folding of the part 25. The front part 21 of the attachment tab 20 between grooves 6 and 26 is preferably just slightly wider than the flap 2 over which it is intended to fold, so as to contain the article.

The fixing tab 30 is globally rectangular, at least in its main part or front part 31 that will fold over the attached ankle sock and the flap 2. This front part 31 is prolonged by a back part 32 intended to fold behind the flap 2 to close the package, for example using an adhesive sticker or label (not shown). The back part 32 is turned over behind the cardboard sheet, making it square. The two parts 31 and 32 are separated by vertical grooves 36. The width of the front part 31 of the fixing tab 30 between grooves 6 and 36 is preferably just slightly wider than the front part 21 of the attachment tab 20, such that it can pass above the folded ankle socks. The excess length can then be made with a convex shape that can be used to improve the aesthetic appearance of the display. The front part 31 may be higher than the part 32; the lower edge 38 of the part 31 may be lower than the lower edge of the flap 2 and the lower edge of the part 32, so as to form a decorative element once folded that conceals the bottom of the flap and is used for the presentation of information or graphics.

As shown, two opposite corners of the flap 2 and corners of the elements to be superposed onto the flap may be rounded to provide a decorative effect. The corner of the closing flap 3 that comes close to the groove 6 after gluing is advantageously rounded or weakened to facilitate folding of the tabs.

We will now explain how to use the package 1 according to the invention with a pair of ankle socks 40 with heels, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

The package 1 is received pre-glued, in other words the closing flap 3 is glued onto the flap 2. Once the pair of ankle socks is flat on the package 1, the trapezoidal shaped attachment tab 20 is folded over the article, and then the upper part of the article may be turned over the notched slanting edge 28 of the tab (FIG. 3). The fixing tab 30 can then be folded and the front part 31 of the fixing tab covers the article 40 and holds it in place. The two back parts 22, 32 are then folded behind the flap 2 and may for example be held in place by a label that is marked with the article code, or any other means (FIG. 4). Obviously, the attachment tab could have been fixed just after the step in FIG. 2, in other words before the article is folded onto the attachment tab.

We will now describe how the package 1 according to the invention is used for straight ankle socks 40′, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The package 1 is still supplied pre-glued. For thin straight ankle socks, a piece of stiffening cardboard on which grooves are formed can be slipped inside. Once the pair of ankle socks is placed flat on the package 1, the trapezoidal shaped attachment tab 20 is folded back on itself at groove 23, such that it is in the form of a rectangular tab 24, 25 with double thickness, and this attachment tab is then folded onto the article, after which the upper part of the article can be turned over around the horizontal edge of the tab, such that the stiffener cardboard is located at the attachment edge. As in the previous embodiment, the fixing tab 30 can then be folded down, and the front part 31 of the fixing tab covers and holds the article 40′ in place, and the operation is terminated as already described above. 

1. A flat presentation package for a textile article such as straight ankle socks or ankle socks with heels, the package comprising a main flap from which an approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab and an associated fixing tab extend and can be folded in front of the package, said approximately trapezoidal shaped attachment tab having a base comprising a folding line parallel to said base, wherein said attachment tab can be used as such for articles with heels, or it can be previously folded to form a straight attachment tab for straight articles.
 2. The package according to claim 1, wherein said tabs are formed from a front part with a length equal to at least the width of said main flap and a back part that folds over and fixes at the back of said main flap using a closing means, said back and said front parts being separated by a vertical groove.
 3. The package according to claim 2, wherein only said front part of attachment tab is trapezoidal, and back part is rectangular.
 4. The package according to claim 2, wherein said horizontal folding line is parallel to said base and is continuous approximately over the entire length of said tab.
 5. The package according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said folding line is composed of at least two grooves.
 6. The package according to claim 5, wherein the amount of material is reduced at the intersection of two grooves.
 7. The package according to claim 6, wherein the material reduction is in the form of a slot, and particularly a crescent-shaped slot.
 8. The package according to claim 2, wherein an upper inclined edge of said front part of said attachment tab is notched.
 9. The package according to claim 2, wherein the front part of the fixing tab is longer than the front part of the attachment tab.
 10. The package according to claim 2, further comprising a closing flap that is provided on a small side of the flap, folded and glued to the front of the flap.
 11. The package according to claim 10, further comprising a suspension hole that is provided in the package, within the double thickness of the glued closing flap and flap.
 12. The package according to claim 1, further comprising a cardboard package. 